Till Death Do Us Part
by Kaiden Shiba
Summary: Chapter 11: Stage 2: Living. Ichigo is back in his home town just as the soul society is about to select the new captains. His biggest problem isn't the new captain of the 5th squad but the new student in class who catches Tatsuki's eyes.
1. The Last Strawberry

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**Author's note- **This is my first fan fic so please like tell whats wrong and whats good, that way I'll get better. Also, only the beginning isn't going to be from Ichigo's POV, the rest of the story will. Scratch that, I have no idea about the rest of the story.

**demonalchemist5** **beta read this and edited it we're currently editing it so if there are any problems, speak now. lol**

**Spoiler- **If you haven't read up to at least the current Bleach chapter then you'll just need to read it on Wikipedia or somewhere. Otherwise its not that much of a spoiler or I hope its not.

**Disclaimer-** I think its pretty obvious that I don't own Bleach, Kubo Tite (the rich author in Japan most likely does).

**BTW- **And this'll won't have anything dirty and naughty (nothing worse then Bleach already is) 'cause I don't like to write that kind of stuff. (makes me feel like a pervert) But there will be some level of it.

Do remember that it's not for the weak hearted and that you've been warned

Enjoy.

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"Ichigo." Rukia's hand softly stroked his cheek, blood getting onto his cheek. "No matter what, don't die alone. Live a long life. And don't you ever die alone." He cried, unable to watch his friend, someone he loved, about to die. "The others and I will live on through you, so we're not really dying, just going away." She explained, tears running down her face as she tried to hold onto this world. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, but at that moment, none of it seemed to matter. "We'll be back."

Ichigo's father glanced over, as he held back an attack from Aizen. The door to the soul society would open soon, allowing the ones in front of the door to be transported to the other world. He prayed that it would work.

Her violet eyes began to close, and he took her hand into his own. "Rukia! Stay with me! You're gonna live!"

"Ichigo you-you idiot. Don't make this any harder then it is." She looked into his amber eyes, a soft smile across her lips through all the pain.

Her eyes drifted up to his father for a moment before looking back at Ichigo with a playful smile. "Ichigo, come closer" she said quietly. He did as he was ordered. "Closer" she said again and he came closer only to be kissed on the lips. Her bloody face couldn't have gotten any redder but had gained a shad of pink instead as Ichigo turned red from ear to ear.

She pulled away smiling, "I love you, Ichigo." Her eyes closed and Ichigo's eyes widened. "Rukia" he pulled her body to his own, yelling at her, his voice had already faded away from her mind.

Ichigo's father couldn't say anything. He knew the pain of losing someone, and now his son knew that pain as well. "Ichigo" he placed his hand on his shoulder, hoping to comfort the boy. Ichigo, unable to handle it, was screaming just as he had when his mother had died

"Rukia!"

**(Ichigo's POV)**

When we were in the soul society, we weren't left to die. Being outsiders or not, the soul society wasn't that cruel.

"Why didn't they save them..." I asked God or whoever the hell was watching. They couldn't have saved them? They couldn't save their own after all that we had done? After stopping their goddamn war? Fuck, it was my fault.

The soul society hadn't agreed to the idea. That hadn't stopped Renji and Rukia.

In the end, we could've run. We could've stuck together. I could've saved them. They were all too young to die. Even if Rukia and Renji were 3000 years old, they could've lived another 3000 years.

I didn't want to cry, but how could I not? I had just lost the people that I was closest to and the ones that I loved...but I didn't want to cry. It wasn't that it wasn't my style; just that it would be pointless. Tears weren't going to bring them back.

Inoue...I didn't seem to call her by that name. I don't deserve to call her that. Orihime was someone that I felt like I barely knew at times and at other times, I felt like I knew her better then anyone else. We had a lot in common, even if it appeared to be only our hair color...We would pretend like we never knew each other at school, even after fighting together to save Rukia or when she saved my life. She liked me; I always knew she had a crush on me. But I just kept up my tough guy act. Aizen...The person she had left us to work with, had killed her. She should still be alive. All of their deaths, everything that we had been though together had been for nothing...She hadn't even been saved. That fucking bastard. He haunts me even from his grave. Yeah, there's so much pain inside me that I can't even think about her. She was on my mind for weeks, and... damn, I can't think about that without punching a wall.

Chad, he was...he was cool. By becoming friends, people knew they couldn't just pick on him or me cause then the other would just beat the crap out of them. Maybe I'll just dye my hair black. I don't want to fight anymore. It'd just bring back too many memories. The truth was that he was huge because he was meant to do something good with all that power. He would never fight beside anyone or me after that. It was my entire fault. His death was my fault. Even if it had been his battle, I could've been there for him, I could've battled with him.

Renji. The first time I met him, he was my enemy. He had come for Rukia along with his captain...And truthfully, he could've kicked my ass back then, but he'd slacked off. I still owed him for those crazy glasses of his that I broke. He had been the one to say those words and make everyone put their hands in then promise that we'd all come back alive. So why couldn't he keep his own dumbass promise?! He was supposed to come back and beat up that captain. We seemed to have a lot in common, even if we were always arguing with each other...

Then, that bastard Ishida...We started on bad terms too, I'm not even sure if we ended on all that good of terms. I couldn't even remember his name at first...but now, I can't seem to forget it. He was the last Quincy. I guess there aren't going to be any more Quinces. Why did he have t' go and die? Whoever the hell killed him killed Renji too. In the last second, his father had come with my father...But it had been pointless... they should've just left me there to die. His father had kept a calm look during the whole battle just as his son had tried to do. His father must hate me for letting his son die. I deserve it; I let him down and got him killed.

Rukia. Rukia. God, I can't even think about her. I owed her so much, and I loved her. Fuck. She wasn't supposed to die. After everything, she shouldn't have died.

When my battle with GrimmJow was over, I had taken Orihime to Rukia in hopes to save her. She was barely alive. She just kept telling me to get the hell out... Maybe I should have been the one to say that. We told her that we wouldn't leave without finishing our job, and then we all left to get that stupid orb. In the end, it was smashed, broken and Aizen wasn't happy. He had that stupid smile on his face and killed Orihime. She died quickly, it had been painlessly, but she shouldn't have died. I messed up. I wasn't paying attention, and Rukia jumped in the way of his blast, thus, saving my worthless life. Hadn't she saved me enough? Hadn't she protected me enough that she didn't owe me?

She had been the last one alive...She died going back to the soul society. Renji had died just a few minutes earlier. It was her words that hurt the most...

Orihime, Chad, and Ishida's funerals were a few days later. I just stood in the back and watched. There was no way I could've skipped out on it. Renji's and Rukia's funerals in the soul society were that night. It was peaceful, as Rukia's brother had been unable to speak. She had a grave next to her sister's under a cherry blossom tree. Renji's had been on top of a hill where he could see his childhood home. It seemed like a nice place. The soul society overall had made their funerals worthless. It pissed me off, and I knew I'd never go back there.

I would never become a soul reaper.

I would never fall in love.

Even if it killed me, I would never do it again.

That night, before the sun had come up, I decided to pay my last respects, or at least stand there and tell them I'm sorry. I wore a suit and everything. I didn't wanna look shitty, since it had been my fault in the first place.

Tatsuki was there.

She only glanced back at me with teary eyes; she was in pain as blood was dripping from the tight grip.

I couldn't look her in the eye and just continued to the graves.

It was one of the few times I had actually seen her in a dress outside of school. I could never forget the last time. Like then, I would rather never remember.

"You were supposed to bring her back," Tatsuki said barely audible. Her head was down, allowing the tears to roll down her cheeks then drop on the ground.

"You were supposed to return...All of you were supposed to return...Everyone would remember Rukia, and everyone wouldn't think" she paused just to yell. "that they hadn't gotten a stupid car accident!" She was crying. I couldn't look at her. I knew I had failed. "Everyone thinks that they had gotten drunk and got in a damn car accident then died...But that's not the truth.." This was hard for her, but she should blame me. Who blames her? I'm even mad at myself for it. "That guy, Aizen, killed them. They had all died along with Inoue..."

I didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. I had fought, all of us had, and we knew what we were getting into.

She slapped me. I could've dodged it if I'd wanted to. "Say something!" She screamed at me, punching my chest. It helped. She could only keep it up for so long, then her arms stopped, gripping my shirt's fabric. She looked down until her head fell, and she cried hard into my shirt. I felt horrible already. "Ichigo, why couldn't she come back? Why did she have to die?" she asked me, her words clouded by her crying.

"I don't know. I saw her die, none of us had any healing powers, and the soul society wouldn't help out." I paused, hearing her crying calm down as she clings to my shirt. "Fuck, she saved everyone, then was killed along with the others."

"I'm sorry. It wasn't suppose to end like this. Everyone was suppose to come back...I'm so sorry Tatsuki. I've failed you in my duties as a soul reaper and as a friend."

We didn't move. She didn't say anything.  
I don't know why but we didn't. If I was helping her, then this was the least I could do for her.

When the sun was just starting to come up, she asked me; "Ichigo, what are you going to do now? Are you going to become a soul reaper again?" Her tears had disappeared along with her tight grip as she kept her calm tone, one I had never heard.

"I'm going to ask someone to get rid of my powers like they should have been from the beginning. Then I'm going to go away for a while. I might never come back."

She nodded against my shirt, understanding that I didn't want to even pick up a sword again. "Here" I backed away, forcing us to part. She just stood there clearing her eyes of the final tears.

I pulled out the last things of Orihime's then handed it to her. "The soul society felt that if they were buried with her body then it would be stolen. So you take 'em" I explained before leaving.

She didn't say anything, looking at the flower shaped hairpins in the palm of her hand.

I went to the Urahara Shop where Urahara Kisuke removed all of my powers. They told me several times that I wouldn't get my powers back very easily and that it would ultimately take me years after death to gain it back. I wasn't going to die; I would live a long life as she had told me to. And somehow, I wouldn't die alone.

"Ichigo?" My father said as he calmly knocked on my bedroom door.

My bag was next to my backpack on the bed. My blankets was neatly folded and the rest of my things were inside a box. I would leave in the morning.

"Yeah?"

He placed his hand on my shoulder, "You need to move on, you could go five million miles away from here but they will still be with you. They will never be forgotten. That's why you have to push past this and stop blaming yourself for their deaths." He squeezed my shoulder, knowing he was right. I had to move on, but what else was there to move on to? I had to stop blaming myself, but it had been my fault. Who else was there to blame?

It had all been my fault...

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	2. A Rose and Rukia

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**Author's note- **

Thanks to Hollowheart3 for reviewing.  
Yeah I know its sad that Rukia dies but at least there was some IchiRuki. Since everybody died, I figured that it was sort of required to drop the sadness at least a bit and give Ichigo some love along with a first kiss. I think you'll be happy with this chapter, it takes place two or three days after the first chapter.

**By the way, its mid October in this chapter. **

**I still don't own Bleach.**

**demonalchemist5** **beta read this and edited it we're currently editing it so if there are any problems, speak now. **

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_223_

_225_ I was getting closer. My English was good enough to get me into a bordering school in America. It was going to be the change that I'd need. My box, along with my bag, was already in my room. I just needed to find the room. The flight from home to New York had been long; Yuzu and dad told me not to crash the plane and not to die. Such hard things to keep in mind. The old man next to me slept the whole ride there, something I had been unable to do.

_227_ The second to last room, of course. I slide my key in and enter the room only to freeze at the door, wide eyed as the half dressed girl in front of me was. She might have actually been shorter then Rukia, if that was possible and built a few sizes smaller then Orihime in the chest area. Almost like a mix between the two with messy red hair, along with clearly American green eyes. Her strapless black bra had red roses sewn into the fabic as the underwear had the similar red roses sewn in. The odd thing was the scar that was across her stomach. It didn't look like something you picked up just anywhere, it looked like a sword slash.

Oh yeah, standing in a girl's dorm room, staring at her as she nervously stares back. "My bad!" I yelled, closing the door.

Breathe in, breathe out. So that definitely wasn't my room. Then why did my key work?

She opened the door, scaring me half to death. This time, she was fully dressed in a tank top that was definitely not allowed and baggy jeans that she had just thrown on. "Are you, Ichigo?"

This couldn't be good. "Yeah, Ichigo Kurosaki"

She walked around me then put her hand on my chest "you're suppose to be a girl."

Told yah. "What do you mean by that?"

"This is the girls' dormitory, so only _girls_ are allowed. And Ichigo is a _girl_'s name."

Girl's name? "Ichigo isn't a girl's name, it means "_he_ who protects" so it's a guy's name."

"I thought it meant strawberries"

"Yeah, but when it's a guy's name it means "he who protects" not "strawberries"

She sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "Your stuff is in my room," she paused "If you want, I can show you to the headmaster's office. He'll fix you up with a different room."

She wasn't that bad. She seemed rather nice, even though I had just seen her in her underwear. I'm not even sure if Orihime would've been this calm after that. Rukia would have beaten me up as best as she could for it. "Okay, thanks."

"I gotta finish getting ready. You can come in" she offered, probably planning to put some make-up on or something. I just nodded and entered the room. She put on a simple black hoodie over her tank top then quickly began to brush her hair while I made sure that the box and bag were mine. Yep, they were mine.

The half that was supposed to be mine was blank as the bed only had a thin sheet and a hard pillow. Maybe it had been a good idea of Yuzu's to pack a blanket and pillow. Under the bed was a pair of wooden drawers for storage. A few sticky tacks had been left on the wall from the last person. The last things in the room were the desks that sat together in the back of the room in front of the large curtain closed window. They were pretty blank, or at least mine was. It looked nice, even if it had been used over the years.

Her half of the room had definitely been personalized. As a pair of music posters--Linkin' Park and Evanescence-- that went up the wall by her desk as the other wall had a line of newspaper clippings taped on. It looked like a timeline of some sorts with parts highlighted. Other then some books, and a small frog plushie, there wasn't anything on her bed. The bed had been made, most likely something that students were supposed to do. There was an odd bright pink pillow that stuck out from under the thin black blanket, though the bed still looked blank with it. Papers and a few CDs were on her desk beside a laptop. There were also old fashion headphones on top.

"So you're from Japan?" she asked, putting on her pink and black socks.

"Karakura Town, Japan" I answered.

"Have you always lived there?"

What was this, 50 questions? "My whole life."

"That's weird, you speak English pretty well. I thought you'd be confused and I'd have to translate to Japanese."

She speaks Japanese? "You speak Japanese?"

"Yup, apparently, I'm the only one in the school who does, not counting a teacher and two others who speak basic Japanese." So that's why they put me in her room, not counting the mistake.

It was odd that she didn't dress formally to see the headmaster. Were Americans that laid back? Or was it that she didn't care? I didn't blame her for the hoodie, but the baggy jeans hid her figure, something Orihime and Rukia were unable to do.

It had barely snowed earlier that morning and even I was wearing a jacket. Thank god for Yuzu. She had actually checked the weather for this area and made me take it, otherwise she would cry.

"Where is everyone?" I asked. It wasn't that I cared, just that I had only seen a few teachers and students walking around. When I glanced down at her, it was the first time I noticed that she wasn't as short as Rukia. She was taller, a few inches taller then Tatsuki (her height 5'1).

"Everybody is in class. The headmaster let me get out because someone had to show you around." She answered just as we were beginning to walk past one of the buildings. I glanced into the windows of the building. Classes were still going on. The girls who looked out the window seemed to be surprised while the guys didn't seem to like me much already. What the hell did I do to them?!

She must have noticed my look because she answered; "This is a prep school, so only rich kids and the lucky few are going to be here. They're all surprised to see someone like you here. You don't look like a rich kid, and you would've dressed nicer then come on time if you were a lucky kid." Now I see, they're judging me. I guess some things never change. "What's your story?" How could I explain it? My friends were killed before my eyes just last week and I needed to go somewhere far away.

"Just some things happened and I needed to get away. My dad pulled some strings and got me in here. That's it."

She could see that I wasn't telling the whole truth, and that there was more to it. The way she was looking at me was as if she was looking into my soul. Was that even possible? I didn't believe it and looked away as she looked away. This woman confused the hell outta me.

"By the way, this is the office building. The two headmasters live on the top floor, then the second floor is the office where they keep all the files and it's also the teachers' lounge and the security room." She really liked to talk, but at least it wasn't about something girly or completely useless.

"And the first floor is the headmasters' office?"

"Along with the counselors' office."

"What's the language and arts building?" I had a language arts class and I wasn't sure what or where it was.

She stopped and turned to point at a nearby building, "That's it." Like the others, it was a large building with three floors.

She grabbed my jacket sleeve as I was just standing there then pulled me inside the building. The warm air felt nice compared to the cold air from inside. After that, she took me to the headmaster's office and she knocked on the door before entering. I just followed her inside.

"Dr Storm? This is Ichigo Kurosaki," she said with little trouble pronouncing my name.

Dr Storm was the headmistress of the school and, apparently, her husband was the headmaster. She looked cold, mean, someone who would scare even Kenpachi. Her gray hair was in a bun and her dark blue eyes were behind glasses. The dark purple suit didn't say much, besides, she wasn't walking around outside today.

Then out of nowhere, she yells "Rose! Wait, this is Ichigo?" Her name is Rose? Well it goes with her hair, I guess. Did she already tell me her name?

Maybe she wasn't as evil as I thought she was. "Hello Ichigo, do you understand what I am saying?" She asked, speaking slowly.

"Yes I do, Dr Storm. I think there's a problem with my papers."

She tilted her head to the side. "I can see that. I suppose I am just going to have to contact both of your parents and see what should be done."

At that point, she must have realized that my dad only spoke Japanese and that there was a problem with contacting Rose's parents, because she sighed and walked over to the window. Rose had her hands in the front pocket of the hoodie as she looked at the floor. Her eyes drifted back up when Dr Storm walked over to the two of us.

"Ichigo, what do you like the most about a girl's body?" What the hell kind of question was that?! And from a headmistress of all people!? What was I suppose to say to that?!

"The-the eyes" I finally got out, after stuttering for a moment and translating.

"Have you ever kissed a girl?" That one was nearly as bad as the first!?

"Yeah"

"Why aren't you dating that girl?" I dreamed of dating Rukia, of holding her hand, being with her. Sleeping next to her. Fuck, I didn't want to think about this anymore.

"Because she left, and I can't see her anymore."

"Is that why you left? Why you moved away?"

"No, a bunch of my friends left with her. That's why I came here."

"There are no empty rooms in any of the dorms, not the boys' dorm or the teachers' dorm. Ichigo, we're going to have to send you back home." Shit, I couldn't go home now. I was right here. Why couldn't I stay? I lived with a girl for a month and nothing happened.

"Rose, what would you think of sharing a room with Ichigo?" She looked up at her, not knowing what to say. "The showers are just down the hallway and as long as he takes a shower by himself then I don't see a problem with it. Rose has never shown an interest in boys, so I trust her and from what you've said, I believe I can trust you."

She didn't look at me. She was going to say no and I'd have to go back home. "I can't go back home either so…" she looked at me with teary eyes. "I think I'm gonna have to let you stay."

And with that we left, I was going to be staying in a girl's dorm room and somehow we couldn't let anyone else know. It would be like when Rukia was living in my closet. We were in the dorm room when she hugged me. It was strange. Why was she hugging me? Then, when I looked at her, I could clearly see that she was crying.

"I know that you used to be a soul reaper. I know that two of your friends were soul reapers too, along with a quincy and two others with powerful soul powers. It's a power that's been passed down my family for centuries. I'm sorry that they died." She cried. She knew. She knew everything. Back there, she had actually read my soul and in there she had also read it. It was something that she had seen, of all them, of the pain I had been though and everything else.

"They didn't deserve to die. They saved the lives of countless people over the years." She looked up at me, "Yah know, they're still alive inside your heart." She placed her hand over my heart, then ran up to the side of my head. "And within your memories of them. They want you to move on. They want you to be happy."

How could she know that? Her words seemed so right. My dad had said that, but I hadn't believed him. I had chosen to tune him out. Could I really just forget them? I had caused their deaths. They were killed because of me.

"They want you to stop blaming yourself. As soon as you stop blaming yourself-" "But I did, the soul society told us to stay put. And I was like 'fuck the soul society, lets go save Orihime.' They didn't have to go, I-" "Did they just leave you? Did they just let you go by yourself? No, they went because they wanted to go save Orihime as they had when Rukia was in trouble."

"It'll take me some time, but I might. Though, it was my fault. They should have blamed me for it. They were more then my friends. They were family."

"Well, you came here, so you'll see. By the end of the school year, you'll understand that they're still your friends and they died doing something that they believed in."

I don't know if I can ever believe that it wasn't my fault. At least I'm away from all those memories, away from everything. I guess I should start unpacking. Rose started to work on something on her computer while I put away my things.

"Hey," a girl yelled from the door. Should I open the door?

"Uhh Rose?"

"It's Hill. You can let her in."

So much for getting away from everything. This girl could be Rukia's clone! Her hair was dark brown and a few inches longer then Rukia kept hers. Her eyes were dark blue unlike Rukia's violet. There was no mistaking it. The two could easily be twins. She raised an eyebrow and I let her in. "Hey Rose, do you know that there's a guy moving into your room?"

"This is Ichigo, and there were some problems so now he's staying in my room." She looked me up and down, noticing the large height gap between us. "Well hi, Ichigo, want some lunch?" She spoke very politely something Rukia only did when she was pretending. Was she pretending? Or was she actually normally this polite? I just nodded, still trying to figure out if she was Rukia's clone or not.

All of my clothes were put away in the storage. Both girls talked quietly to themselves with my name coming up several times though out the conversation.

"Hey Ichigo, here's your lunch." Hill tossed me a sandwich that was wrapped up in foil. Americans are weird. "Thanks," I mumbled, then I unwrapped the food.

Rose sat on her bed across from Hill. She ate some snack food from the pile that Hill had dumped on the bed between them. "So, do you want Pepsi, Dr Pepper, or Mountain Dew?" She offered me, showing the soda cans by balancing them as best as possible on the bed. "What's the difference?" I asked. I felt like Rukia with those damn juice boxes.

"Well Pepsi is like cola and Dr Pepper is barely different. Mountain Dew is lime flavored. It's pretty good and the opposite of the two others." Rose explained, not helping my confusion. She sighed, and Hill just looked between the two of us. "Just give him a Dr Pepper. All guys like Dr Pepper."

Dr Pepper? "It's just a drink, sugar and stuff, all mixed together." Sounds like soda. "Okay." She popped the top then passed me the can. I looked at it for a moment before taking a sip. Wow, it was actually good.

I took out a knife and cut the next box open, and Kon jumped out! That little..."Ichigo! Bout time you opened that box. What was taking you so long?!" He yelled at me before I tossed him back at the wall.

"Did that stuffed animal just speak Japanese?" Hill asked, wide-eyed at the stuffed animal that sat between the two. "Well, in Japan they make the coolest and newest stuff. What else would a stuffed animal do there?" Rose said, covering up for me.

Hill picked up Kon by his leg before hugging him. "He's so cute!" That little stuffed animal is getting treated better then he should be. "Nnneee-saann" he quietly said.

I sighed, realizing that I might as well leave them to Kon. I could get back at him later, but for now I had some unpacking to do. Maybe they'd dress him up.

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	3. Somethings never change

**Thanks to** **Hollowheart3 and AM Elric (even if you are a midget) for reviewing.  
**

**When I own Bleach, you'll know  
**

**BTW in this chapter, Kaien and Miyako Shiba make an appearance.  
**

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School wasn't that bad. It kept my mind off of everything that had happened back in Japan, almost like none of it had ever happened. But it did and I could never forget it. I did alright in school, I got most of the stuff, the rest like opening a can of soda or figuring out those cereal bowl-box things in one were a bit of a challenge. And the guys at school were definitely not helping. Most of them hated my hair color, just like the guys at home. 

"Okay, lets give the new kid a chance," Mr Lance, the gym teacher said, obviously talking about me. The light skinned teacher was similar to me with spiky blond hair which made everyone think that I was related to the guy. He wasn't a bad teacher either, the only one that didn't talk slowly to me or double check to make sure I knew what I was doing.

I was handed a fencing sword or whatever its called and was suppose to "Fence" against this other guy. What the heck were these damn Americans thinking to call it fencing?!

"Remember the steps that you've learn and the different styles then put them to use, come on Ichigo," The teacher yelled at me as I took position across from the other guy. The long brown haired boy had that crazy look in his eyes like Renji had. Damn. I couldn't do this.

"En garde!" Mr Lance called out, French? So thats why it was called fencing because of the French. Oh yeah, I was fencing against this guy. He was really taking this seriously, why? Would it matter if he won or if I won? He came at me, easy block but I let him have it, if it had been a real sword fight then I'd be dead due to a stab to the heart.

"Good job, John. Ichigo, you need to get some more practice see me after classes today." I pulled off mask or whatever it was called and put it up with the sword as John did. He was giving me all these weird looks. What did I do to him?

I continued off, he followed. "En garde" the next fight or fence started again. "You lost that on purpose" he whispered. "Why? Did that orange hair of yours fall in your eyes or somethin'?"

"I lost, you won, get on with your life and I'll get on with mine." I replied, knowing that wouldn't stop him.

"You orange punk, I wanted a real fight not some half shit with a guy."

I won't fight him. The class ended and we all went off to the showers, the headmaster had put me in first hour PE for that very reason. Then I could just shower there and not worry about sneaking around at 4 am as she put it.

"Fight me now punk" oh great this guy, and I'm not even wearing a shirt.

"Why should I"

"Cause, what is that orange hair getting it way of your brain? You don't need a reason to fight" I let him slam me against the wall as a few others gathered.

"Or are yah afraid you're gonna lose?"

"Take a lot more then that for me to be afraid of you"

He aimed for my head and punched the wall instead before being sent to the ground with a push. **Ichigo, let me come out** I'm not sure what happened but that feeling of the hallow inside me taking over was beginning to happen again. "Ichigo!" Mr Lance yelled, grabbing my arm then pulling me out of the locker room as the nurse took care of the other boy.

I sat across from him on the bed, my shirt still missing. "Ichigo, tell me what happened" he said harshly trying to keep what was left of a calm tone. Fuck, I messed up.

"He wanted to fight, I didn't then when I pushed him away, things sort of got out of hand." I explained, thinking that if I included the part about me forgetting what happened after that then I might be in some serious trouble.

"Are you the Japanese transfer?" The nurse asked me.She had tanner skin then Mr Lance even though she was inside all the time with long black hair. Somehow or another, she reminded me of Rukia.

I just nodded as I remembered her question she looked at my wrist. It was sprained, I don't even know how it got sprained.

"You should avoid fighting from now on" She told me as she wrapped the AC bandage on, she obviously not knowing me. "Otherwise it'll brake. And you really should put a shirt on" she said, handing me a plain white shirt.

She looked at me, trying to see something that was on my face. "You don't look like your father."

I raised an eye brow, "Who'd wanna look like him," I paused for a moment as she smiled "How do you know him?"

"I worked at your family clinic as a nurse for a few month. It was just for school but we still kept in touch afterwards." So that was my dad's connection, who'd guess.

"Shouldn't you be taking him to the headmaster, Cain?" She asked Mr Lance.

When she spoke to him then looked at him, Mr Lance's whole face turned red. "Yeah," He replied, looking away from both of us. He liked her. "Well then, lets go Ichigo" he said before heading out the door before me and telling the nurse good bye.

"You shouldn't get in much trouble" Mr Lance commented as we walked, kind of surprising me. "John has always been a problem, the only reason why hes still here is because his father donates large amounts of money to the school each quarter. He also pays most of the teachers double if they give John at least a B at the end." Still doesn't mean that he can start fights.

"So is that why you're taking me to the headmaster?"'

"Na, I figure that the headmaster would know what to do best. I don't think you belong in detention for it but he should at least know about it." Weird teacher, "By the way, this is for losing that match on purpose" he gave me detention for it, how could he tell?

"Why are you giving me detention for losing on purpose but not for starting a fight?" I yelled.

"Cause you weren't suppose to lose on purpose, you were suppose to try!" He yelled back at me.

"Well" I paused "what does it matter anyways?"

"Say you're in a real match, where its your life on the line. Are yah gonna lose that match on purpose? I hope not" he explained.

"If I'm in a real match then I'll use a real sword."

"Well what if you don't have a real sword?"

"Then I'll figure it out then" If that really happened then I guess I'd turn into a soul reaper since my life would be on the line and dying by some other guy's blade wouldn't be the best way to go.

"Yeah well either way you got detention tomorrow after school."

"Fine, I'll be there" I said, not really caring about having to go or not. I shoved my hands into my pockets and walked outside, fuck it was cold. Like Mr Lance, I just sucked it up and continued towards the other building. When we got there, the headmaster was busy.

"I got class in a few so just wait here" he patted my back, why was he smiling? Then left. I waiting outside the office for a few minutes then the bell rung and the classes switched. I was missing Language Arts class.

The door opened, instead of the woman it was the male headmaster. His hair was pure white like his skin as his eyes were light blue. He had that similar look as his wife, the glare of a long morning. Just what I needed.

"Come in" he said harshly before I entered. He closed the door after me and I just stood there as he looked at my back. "So you got in a fight? Was it really over the fencing match?" How did he know that? Did he talk to Mr Lance or something?

"Yeah, I lost on purpose and the other guy wasn't happy so he started a fight with me. I couldn't stand down and fought him back."

"John probably didn't like the color of your hair. He likes things to all be the same" he had John in his office too much. "Thats why he attacked me?"

"Yes, John starts many fights with guys who have long hair or like to dress differently. He attacked a young girl with red hair last year," It couldn't have been Rose, why would anyone attack her? "Even after that she wouldn't change herself and he attacked her again" Asshole. "Till finally I talked to his father. His father said, military school or here and he went to military school for the rest of the year."

I stayed quiet, not showing much interest in the story. "Whats he doing back here?"

"His father is on the board of education here. Thats why he was sent back here."

Now I understood, asshole. "So back to the topic at hand, I will pretend this never happened and send you off to class if you dye your hair black."

"Dye my hair?" This guy had to be crazy.

"John probably got detention so it'd be easier to handle if you just dye your hair black."

I looked down for a moment think it over then I knew what my answer was. "No way, I'll take my punishment and keep my hair orange."

He faintly smiled at that, "Whys that? Does it represent something? Does it stand for a gang?"

"No, if I give in now and dye my hair then when my friend fought for me in the past and all his hard work would've been for nothing. I can't change my hair color, it stands for him." Chad.

"Okay then, you can go. I won't punish you for something you believe in." He seemed totally fine with it.

"Thanks" I mumbled turning to leave when he quickly caught up to me. "Hold up" I looked over my shoulder at him, he was pulling something off my back. "You can go" he said with a smug look on his face with the note. Mr Lance had written him a note and taped it to my back?!

My stuff from the locker room was on the floor by the office door and I headed off to my English/Language Arts class. Everyone was surprised since I was showing up so late without a note along with a shirt that was pretty see though.

Hill poked my back "Whats with the see through shirt? Are all your other clothes in the wash?" She whispered into my ear.

"No I just ran into some trouble and got a shirt from the nurse" I explained.

Her pen met my back and I flinched, what was she doing?! "Don't worry, I'm not actually writing anything." She said, I could tell that she was smirking the way Rukia always did when I let her get away with something. It was strange, the way she was draw or whatever during pretty much the whole class. Not like the teacher cared since we were just suppose to read. It was a diary of a Jewish girl during World War II. Whatever she was drawing didn't make any difference to me, just when the pen trailed further down I flinched again and she brought it back up.

The bell rang and I took my bag with me as I headed for my math class. It was the one class that I didn't have to translate all during class, and another class where the teacher didn't check on me every few minutes. "Whats with that blank look?" Hill asked, raising an eye brow at me.

"What blank look?!"

"Nothing"

"Bet you're thinking about something dirty" she said with a smug look across her face.

"No I'm not" crazy girl.

"Yes you are"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"No" she agreed and continued ahead of me, sticking her tongue out at me. "C ya ichigo" stupid crazy hyper midget girl.

I looked around, why had she chosen to take the long way to the math building? Why the hell had I followed her? It would've been faster to walk across the center to the other building but instead she had gotten me to take the long way past the art building. Weird. I looked through the window and saw a guy with long hair sitting near the open window. He was playing a quiet tone on his guitar. Strange Americans.

* * *

**I told Hollowheart that if I got another review then I'd post the next chapter, well the next chapter is gonna be longer then the others so I won't post it till I get four new reviews. (So if I get one from hollowheart, one from shorty and two new ones or at least one then I'll post it, fair?) 'Cause I'm getting like 141 clicks and only 3 reviews all together. Well anyways, till when ever, bye. (and yes, its worth it to review!)**


	4. Been a While

**Thanks to **AM Elric** and** hollowheart3** for reviewing. **

**I planned for a lot more then whats actually written but since I think this needs to move on then I'll post this and continue on.**

**Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I'm just writing a fan fic  
**

* * *

"Yay! Today's Halloween!" Rose yelled after getting up and checking her computer. What was it? Like October 31? 

I just rolled over and went back to sleep, remembering that we had the rest of the week off. Rose usually woke up before me at 5 and took a shower, got dressed and did whatever girls do in the morning before studying for class. I studied during the night and whenever I could really, I didn't have much to do really. Kon usually tried to sleep with her but lets just say he found one of the desk drawers to be a lot more comfortable.

I slept hard for the next minutes or was it hours? I couldn't remember. The next thing I remembered was Hillary--her full name is Hillary, but most call her Hill I guess thats why-- sitting on top of me as she talked to Rose.

"Why the hell are you sitting on top of me!?" I yelled at her, looking up and getting a clear view of her underwear. "You pervert!" She kicked me! That little midget kicked me!

I sat up, sending her and whatever else was on the bed off. She glared landing head first on the floor, letting that underwear view grow to a full porno view. I pulled the covers over my head, looking away from both of them. It was the Yoruichi thing all over again.

Rose was just laughing madly at the scene with Kon. I'm gonna kill that little rag doll...

"It wasn't that funny!" Hillary yelled at Rose as she had just stopped laughing.

"Hey I just got a good idea" Which just happened to involve her looking at me, with an evil look.

They began to whisper somethings to each other, my name coming up more then I'd like it to. "If you got something to say about me then say it to my face!" I yelled at them, getting out of bed.

They looked at each other. "Geez Ichigo did yah have t' yell at them" Kon asked me and I stomped on him before kicking him against the wall.

"Well Ichigo" Rose crossed her arms, smiling like a crazy woman. "For seeing my panties twice" Hillary said with just as crazy and mad look as Rose. This wasn't good. "We're taking you to the dance."

"No way am I going to the dance with two crazy woman." I said getting back under the covers to sleep longer.

"Got his pants?" "All the stuff we need." The two said evilly. They weren't gonna get me to go to some dance if they begged me. After that I went back to sleep.

* * *

**_While Ichigo slept, the girls had their fun. _**

"But Ichigo said that he didn't want to, we really shouldn't make him. I don't care if he saw my underwear or not" Hillary said as she sewed on some lace to a white button up shirt.

"If you give him some puppy dog eyes then I bet he'll come" Rose replied, a thin smile across her lips as she worked on her own sewing.

Kon sat in Hillary's lap as he held the pin cushion rather enjoying the spot while Ichigo slept nearing noon. "You like him don't you?"

Rose looked hard at the fabric, not sure. "He can't be anymore then a roommate, and he-I can't have a boyfriend or at least not a moment. And definitely not him, the guy is like totally depressing."

"You didn't answer my question"

Rose faintly blushed, "Well what am I suppose to say? I've only known the guy for like two, three, weeks. How am I suppose to know?"

Hillary pondered the idea for a moment. "Let me see your stretch book."

Rose blushed, "Hell no!" The needle slid through the fabric, stabbing her. "Ouch" she sucked on her poor finger.

"I bet you drew him sleeping, like you do with everyone. You always catch people best in their sleep."

Rose lightly smiled, blushing as she spoke. "Yeah I did, I've drawn him a few times while he was sleeping. Its when people are most relaxed, he doesn't have that 'I'll kill yah' look on his face when hes sleeping, he looks like hes having a good dream most of the time."

"What does he dream about?"

"Usually on days like this where hes completely out, he'll dream of a raven haired girl. Holding her hand, or going to see the fireworks with her and his other friends back in Japan. He'll argue with the girl then she'll kick him in the shin. His dad will be so proud of his new daughter, and when goes to hug the girl Ichigo will kick him away." She explained, tears running down her face as she lightly laughed.

Hillary looked at her friend, not sure if the girl was crying or laughing. She knew her friend could see into others' souls and watch their dreams, she had known for a while now. It was something the girl was barely getting used to. "Rose, you shouldn't see his dreams if they make you cry," She said quietly.

"Its cause he won't cry for them, thats why I end up crying." She explained, wiping away her tears with her shirt sleeve.

Hillary got up and looked at Ichigo, the scar on his shoulder. "Hey Rose, does he have a lot of scars?"

"Yeah, all over his body from sword fights! The deepest one is on his side from his last battle. Its still healing an' all."

"Really?" Hillary moved the covers from Ichigo's body then lifted his shirt up a bit. "Hillary! What the hell are you thinking!"

She gave her an innocent look, "What? I wanted to see the scar." Rose started to pull Hillary back causing a slow argument to form as Kon just sat back enjoying the scene. When Ichigo rolled over, Rose covered her mouth keeping her in a hold.

They were both quiet, waiting for the sign that he was either awake or asleep. Then finally Rose let go and crashed on her bed, going back to work on the skirt at hand. "Topic change, do wanna put on his teeth and make up or should I?" Hillary asked.

Rose smirked, "You should, and don't give him a private showing of your underwear this time."

Hillary blushed. "I-I- so didn't mean to."

"Of course you didn't" Rose replied, "I'm gonna get some lunch. Tell sleeping beauty that I'll get him something" and with that she left.

Hillary looked at Kon who was ready to wake up Ichigo till he was pushed away. "Do you even understand English?" She asked him.

Kon raised an eye brow. "I'll take that as a no." She looked at Ichigo, this would be a tough.

"Rukia" Hillary leaned towards his face as he talked in his sleep.

* * *

My eyes opened to the dark blue ones that belonged to Hillary. She jumped back quickly apologizing by using several crammed words at once. Then we were both quiet. I didn't wanna yell at her or fight with her, it always brought back those memories. 

"Oh Ichigo, you're awake" Rose said, walking into the room with a paper bag full of snack food.

"Yeah well, how long did yah expect me to sleep?!"

She sighed closing the door, "Everyone has already taken a shower so Dr Storm gave me a key to the girls' shower room if you're interested..." Hell yeah I was interested! "But" Oh no, "You have to agree to try something on."

"Like Hell I will, now give me the damn key" I was standing on my bed at that moment, glaring at them.

"Deal or no key"

Damn red head. "Fine"

Once I got back, fully changed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. They were gone. For once in a while, I had the whole room to myself. I thought about writing a letter home but it felt pointless so just studied. Studying seemed to be something I always did, even when I was ahead. I didn't have anything else to do.

"Ichigo! Quit studying and get this stupid note off my face" Kon yelled at me. I read the note then knocked him away.

_Ichigo, we'll be back later. Put on some black pants then we'll comeback with the other things. Bye! And lunch is on the desk! _

At least I was getting another free lunch.

Everything seemed to stay quiet, nothing was happening other then the students that were leaving for home. The ones who stayed behind were the ones who didn't have the money or just didn't feel like riding on a bus for two hours. They just happened to also be the ones who were setting up Halloween stuff all over school and in the grand hall for the dance. I hoped those girls weren't still planning on taking me to the dance, what a waste of time.

* * *

I looked back to see the two entering the room with a guy behind them. The guy had long black hair and seemed like he had been dragged into this too due to the blank expression across his face. His white shirt was longer then the green jacket that looked to have seen better days as he had a guitar on his back. He was the one from the art building. The two girls were dressed different from what they were wearing earlier or at least wearing a different shirt as Rose was wearing a black and dark red corset like tank and a short lacy skirt that barely touched her knees with long socks, leather shoes along with her normal blue jean jacket. While Hillary had on a white corset with long sleeves allowing only the skin on her shoulders to show and matching short skirt that was longer then Rose's, with leather shoes. 

"Ichigo, Parker. Parker, Ichigo" Hillary said introducing us to each other. We just both mumbled a hello then I went back to studying.

Silence

"Does he even know what you two are about to do to him?" Parker asked them. "What?!" I yelled.

"Apparently so judging by his pants" yeah I had put on some black pants, what did it matter?!

"We just need you two put these on" Hillary offered me a long sleeve white shirt and a black button up.

Couldn't hurt right?

"I guess, being a guy I had to stay and make sure you put it on right" Parker said stretching out the sleeves of the black jacket as I put on the white button up. It wasn't bad, thin fabric and still nice.

"I can put on some clothes"

The jacket it was easy and I just slipped it on over. Then he handed me a pair of white gloves and I just slipped them on. "If you didn't know, you were going to a costume party and they just let you put it on then you wouldn't make it look right." He cuffed the sleeves up then slid a pin through and pulled the lace so it'd show. I didn't even notice the lace. He did the same with the other sleeve, making sure they matched in length.

"I'm not-" "They made it so if you don't go then you'll just be wasting the time they spent on it. Plus these are my shirt and jacket so you'll be wasting my clothes if you don't." I guess I really have to go.

"So why are you going?" I asked him.

"There isn't anything else to do. Usually the party get pretty crazy due to the headmasters and most of the teachers being with the younger students. Leaving only a few teachers here to watch the party."

"So you're only going cause it'll be interesting?"

"No, if I don't go then Hillary will do something she'll regret in the morning. Like she did last year."

"What was that?"

"You're done, you should go out and show 'em" must have been something bad if he won't tell me. I put my hands in my pockets then walked out of the room to where the two girls were waiting.

They looked up at me, Hillary smiled "Wow Ichigo-san! You look very cute in that!" She said in Japanese. Did she know what she was saying?

Rose lightly smiled, so she taught her the words in Japanese. I just shrugged, pretending that she didn't say that. "You're no fun," Rose said.

"What did I say" Hill asked innocently.

"Nothing,"

"Well, I didn't think that his arms would be longer then your's. So we'll just have to sew it cuffed. How 'bout you add the last bit of lace, Hill?"

Hill walked over to me and I walked backwards till I met the wall then she wrapped her arms around my neck by standing on her tippy toes. What was this girl doing? "Hillary?"

"Don't move" she ordered me, I stayed perfectly still allowing her to wrap something around my neck. Now I got it, it was like one of those old English ties. When she was finished she took a step back then placed her hands in the same place just this time she fixed the jacket so it stuck up by the neck.

"Its perfect" she said with a thin smile. It was easier to get Hillary smile then it ever had been to get Rukia to smile. It was something the girl seemed to do freely.

* * *

Loud music was playing out of the speakers, the words were mumbled out due to the loudness. Everyone in the center was dancing as others were talking or messing around. 

Rose glanced back at the door. There was something there, I'm not sure what but it was there. She pulled on my arm "Come on Ichigo stop phasing out!" "You were the one looking that way in the first place!" Parker and Hillary just watched us. "Well see ya later" Hillary said as she walked off with Parker.  
"Hey wait, where are you two going?!"

"I came with Parker so I guess we'll dance. You two can come too if you wanna"

"Why would I wanna dance with him/her?!" We shouted together, I could feel my face turning a deep red as her face already was. Parker and Hillary just snickered.

"Fine, have fun"

We talked a bit then left for the outside, a group of people were already gathering as they were dressed in weird costumes. They were just talking and passing around a bottle.

I smelled the bottle realizing what it was quickly but not quick enough because one of the other guys shoved it in my throat and forced me to drink the whole thing at once.

"They're shoes" I argued drunk with Rose. It was the next thing I remembered.

"They're boots" What were we arguing about again?

"Yeah they're boots"

"See!"

"Agreeing with a drunk will led somewhere Ichigo, be careful" Parker said offering his own advice. Like I was drunk.

Everything seemed so fuzzy the amount I had drank, the kind of stuff I had drank and everything else was just something...

Rose at some point had decided that it was sleep time and had fallen asleep feet away from the school dorms as the others were skate boarding and drinking some more. Parker had been smart to get Hillary out of the place before she too was drunk.

I was carrying her on my back, holding back the drunk urge to grab her butt. Her arms were loosely wrapped around my neck as she rested her head against my neck, the moon was out and clear. Her red hair brushed against the back of my neck as she looked away from the moon. "I remember, the night everything died, the moon wasn't hiding that night" she said, her words were mumbled together but still understandable.

"Everything couldn't have died" Now wasn't the best time to ask but my brain seemed to be out.

"My parents, my brothers then Trinity was killed that night. My grandparents were killed that night too. Everything was dead for a long time." Her words were twice as better to understand with Japanese thrown in every once in a while. But killed sounded the same in every language.

"I can't remember it well." She mumbled before passing out. This girl was something else.

Getting to the room was easy and neither of us had felt like it matter if the door had been locked or not so I easily walked in then set her on a bed as my body fell beside hers. Gees this costume was hot, I pulled it off over my head then got up to get a shirt and found that the room was spinning causing me to flop back on the bed. Rose looked at me, she had a thin smile across her lips like she was planning-what was I saying?

Her fingertips drifted down from my shoulder to my neck trailing along my face. Everything was getting fuzzy.

"Rukia" I said, seeing her again. She was giving me a confused look probably from being drunk and I pulled her to me. "Rukia I've missed you so much." It made me nervous to say it but I don't know.

She struggled to get out. I just held her tighter. "Ichigo, use your head" She said, something Rukia would say. "I am, I want us to be together" I kissed her, slowly pulling off the dress.

"Ichigo, I'm not-" "Don't say it" I kissed her again, this time she allowed me access into her mouth. She wouldn't say but she was enjoying it.

Then she pulled away pushing me back. "Ichigo, Rukia's dead. I'm not her" what was she talking about?

She sighed, a light frown on her lips as she placed her hand on my cheek, carelessly stroking it. It wasn't her. I don't know why I thought it had been her. The girl in front of me wasn't Rukia, the red hair, the green eyes, none of it was Rukia's. Fuck.

* * *

God my head hurts, I feel like I just had a battle with Grimmjow in my head and he- can't think. What happened? Oh yeah, that guy, weird soda, chugging contest, Rose and Hillary, then I was lucky there too. Fuck. 

The girl who was suppose to be my responsible roommate laid within inches, no closer then that, and I-we were both in my small bed. I shifted the blank and saw that she still had that corset on, partly at least along with her underwear. She was dead out, my money was that she had gotten just as drunk as me.

I leaned against the wall, for once no one else was around to use the phone. Guess I should see how Tatsuki's holdin' up. Everything was still a bit fuzzy from the hang over, if I ever figure out who spiked the punch, I'm gonna kill 'em. I checked my watch, one of the few things that hadn't been removed last night. My dad had slapped it on my wrist before I left and told me that it was so that I'd know when to call. The old fashion watch read; 8:20, not that late. Her number was one I had remembered though the years, something I couldn't forget even if I tried.

_"Arisawa house, may I ask who's calling?" _It was Tatsuki's mother. "This is Ichigo Kurosaki, can I speak to Tatsuki?" I asked as politely as possible since her mother never liked me and wouldn't let me speak to her unless I was polite. "_I suppose, one moment." _I could hear as she took the phone up to Taksuki's room and told her not to go anywhere with me then mumble something about my father allowing girls to sleep in my room. Taksuki defended me by saying that I was in New York and that we were nothing more then friends.

_"Hello? Ichigo?" _She sounded at least somewhat happy to be talking to me.

"Hey Tatsuki, how are you holding up?"

_"Decently. Everybody seems to have forgotten what had happened or they're just avoiding me when they talk about it." _If Taksuki was having a rough time she wouldn't say that she was. _"What about you? How are things in New York?"_

I scratched the side of my head, guess I should start from the beginning "Where should I start? A few guys already disprove of my hair color, I share a room with a girl. I was dragged to a party where someone spiked the punch and the headmaster still likes me."

She was quiet, taking in the information. _"Maybe I should've gone with you." _

Taksuki is one of my closest friends and one of the few I haven't lost. I'll probably get her killed if she comes, "a bit late for that don't yah think? I don't care if you did or not, you get good enough grades, you could've easily got in."

_ "...Then maybe I will go there!" _She yells at me, I've missed someone yelling at me.

"Fine with me, just don't do somethin' crazy while you're here."

_"Hmmm sounds like you're the one doing crazy stuff drinking spiked punch."_

"That was an accident, she handed me a cup and I couldn't say no."

She was quiet, _"Why couldn't you say no? Couldn't you smell the liquor?" _

"She looks like Rukia. I felt like, like I had to. Like if I turned her down then I'd be turning down Rukia."

She was quiet again, _"You loved Rukia, didn't you?" _Yeah I loved her, I loved her more then anything else, thats why I rushed Orihime to save Rukia. I couldn't say it but I did.

"Truthfully, yeah I did."

_"Yah know, this one time during lunch, Mahana asked Rukia if she liked you. And Rukia just answered that you two were just classmates, but it was obvious that she did."_

I lightly chuckled the hang over beginning to affect my mind.

_"Orihime must be happy because shes with her brother" _Taksuki said, she had cleared her throat pausing. It was a rough thing to say, to realize that Orihime was actually dead.

"Yeah, her brother was her life for so long." She was crying on the other line, "Taksuki, you know what she did saved your life along with thousands of others' lives. She would-" she would want us to be happy. They'd all want us to be happy. _"She would want us to be happy,"_ She was still crying. The toughest girl in school was crying.

I waited until she stopped crying, not having much to say on the subject. _"Who's gonna protect her? That weird guy said that theres a place in the soul society where souls go when they die, and that some parts of it are rougher then the others. So what if shes there? Who's protecting her? What if she can't find her brother there?"_

"Taksuki, my mother is there too. Along with Chad and Uryū. They know her, they'd take care of her. And who'd hurt her? She has friends in the soul society, she'll be happy there." I hope thats the truth, because if it wasn't then I'd have to go to the soul society and protect her myself.

_"Do you really think that they'd protect her? If they found her?" _

"Of course, Uryū loved her."

She barely laughed, "That pencil neck couldn't protect her."

"I doubt she could get in- okay scratch that she could get herself in a lot of trouble" She was laughing if it was barely. "Don't worry, shes being protected, she can protect herself too, thanks to you."

_"Thanks Ichigo," _I couldn't hide the light smile on my face, it wasn't one that appeared much and I was glad that it showed up during a conversation about Orihime. She'd be happy to hear that.

_"I really miss that orange hair of yours, try not to get drunk again."_

"Yeah I miss yah too" I mumbled back into the phone. "And I'll remember that last part."

_"Bye Ichigo" _

"Bye Taksuki" I replied, hanging up the phone then going back to my room. Rose was fast asleep in my bed as she was only wearing her underwear and a large shirt. Obviously mine. I sighed, I would be crashing in her bed for the rest of the morning.

Fuck, stupid hang over. I glanced at the wall in front of me,the one with the time line across it, remembering one of the few things from the night before. The bed felt pretty good, or at least better then standing.

"Ichigo" Kon said as he jumped on my chest. "You hurt poor innocent Rose last night!" I glared at him, I'd give him 5 seconds to get off me before I chuck him outside. He tried to kick me but lost balance and fell off my chest. I needed sleep.

He jumped back on me. "ICHIGO, listen to me when I'm talking to you! Otherwise I'll tell everyone back home all the dirty things you've-" that was it, I threw him as hard as possible against the other wall.

Nothing

At least I can go back to sleep now.

* * *

"Wow they're not gonna move" Hillary said, poking the back of Rose's head. Taking notice of her friend still in her underwear as her and Parker were inside the dorm room. Parker scooped Kon up with his shoe then tossed the stuffed animal up in the air before catching him flat on his shoe again. "Its like a hacky sack" Hillary caught the poor Kon in the air, hugging him for a moment. "Be careful! It's Ichigo's little sister's stuff animal, it got mixed in with his stuff by accident." She explained before setting Kon on the desk. 

"Oh" He replied. "Or its his and he figured that his dad would get rid of all his stuff like every other father does."

Hillary just sighed. "Do you have the pills"

"Yeah, but shouldn't they be awake to take them?" He asked, handing her the bottle along with a bottle of water.

"Its 2 pm, they need to get up anyways." She answered, taking out two pills then looking at Ichigo in Rose's bed and smiled evilly. "Now that can't be good" Parker thought out loud.

* * *

What the hell?! I slowly woke up to Hillary sitting on top of me, shoving something down my throat followed by a lot of water. "Get off me!" She had me pinned, "I think hes awake" I heard Parker say as he lifted her off me. "I can get off him on my own! You don't have to move me!" She screamed at him way too loud in the morning. 

"Yeah but but not fast enough" and he couldn't remove her from me when she was stuffing my throat?!

Rose was already awake giving me sleepy looks in an attempt to see who exactly was in the room. Her red hair was a mess and she just hugged my pillow, going back to sleep.

"Now Rose won't wake up unless we give her a cold shower. Mostly because of Ichigo" Hill said the last part under her breath. I wasn't really in the mood or awake enough to figure out what she really meant so I just slid under the covers again.

"Hillary! Come on! I haven't had a dream in weeks! And this is a really good one" I could hear her yelling.

"Oh yeah who's in it?"

"No one! Let me sleep you jerk"

Then finally there was a loud BUMP as the two fell to the floor, Rose laying on top of Hillary in her last attempt to sleep. "Come on you two, Rose, Ichigo, get dressed." Parker said for once I agreed with Rose but his tone and Hillary were positive that we were to get outta bed and wake up.

"Yeah"

Rose just mumbled and rubbed her head. Hillary growled at the girl, leaving the water and a bottle of pills on the desk before leaving with Parker.

I laid back in bed then I realized that this was Rose's bed...why was I in Rose's bed? I got up, remembering to lock the door, then poked Rose in the back of the head. "Hey move" she just mumbled.

I poked her again. "Move or else"

Mumble

I was getting tired of this and wanted to sleep in my bed, why should I be the one to give in? So I pushed her against the wall and took the rest of the space to sleep.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked.

"What does it look like!?"

She looked around her then sighed. "I don't feel like moving." I closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep. It was just one of those days where being awake was something I didn't feel like doing.

"Ichigo?" She asked for me quietly, I didn't even open and replied with a "hmmm?"

"Nothing" she moved closer to the wall and threw the covers to me, leaving her with the sheets.

The next time I woke up, I saw that Rose had already moved from my bed, wait, had she ever been in my bed? I couldn't remember. She was sitting on her bed, fully dressed in plain jeans and a dark red button up with a white shirt under. She looked like she was seriously thinking about something.

I got up and she seemed to not notice so I pulled my clothes out for the day. "Hey turn the other way or something" I asked of her and she did, not seeming to care.

"Ichigo, are you going to be here next year?" She asked me, sounding somehow serious yet keeping her kiddish voice. I changed into jeans and a red shirt that had a orange undershirt with it.

"I don't know, if my powers come back and if I start getting hollows to come for me then I'll have to go back. It'd be dangerous for me to stay here. I'll probably see if my sisters need me back home or if its just for the better that I stay then, I won't come back. But if its still hard for me to be there then I'll be back next year."

"Oh," she just replied.

"Why? Are you going to be here next year?"

"I don't have anywhere else to go. I hate staying with my family and they don't really like me staying with them so unless I find somewhere better, then I'll stay here."

"Why do you hate staying with your family? They're family right?"

"Not quite. My mom and dad helped a lot of my extended family, so when they died, my extended family kind of blamed me. Since then, I've always tried to avoid actually being with them."

"If you didn't kill them then why would they blame you?"

She paused, not saying anything for a moment. "Cause they were killed in one night. I was the only one who lived and I couldn't remember anything, I knew how to use a fake sword and my family owned a real one so for months, everyone thought I had done it."

"You were proven not guilty in the end, right? So how could they continue to blame you? They shouldn't be taking it out on you."

"The killer was never found and at some point last summer, my aunt asked that the court retrial the case but I was found not guilty again."

I looked up at her, she had already turned to face me. A look of pain and sadness clear across her face as she sat there. When her green eyes looked up at me I wasn't sure what to expect. "Whats it feel like? To hold a sword? A real one..."

That was something I hadn't thought about in a while. I pretended that I was holding it again, the blade I had used so many times before. I could feel the fabric that had been wrapped around the wood first, the first version of my sword then I changed my gripping as I felt the thinner fabric wrapped over the metal, and the last version seemed so fuzzy that my hands barely shook as they held the handle. The sword wasn't there, it wasn't really there, it was just my mind. Then it just disappeared as my hands pulled away. "It depends. If you're holding it for the fun of it then its a loose grip, if someone scares you then you'll drop it since then it feels pretty heavy alone. If you're holding it to protect yourself then its a tight grip like you can't let go of the handle. The blade is heavy, but the weight doesn't matter. But if you're fighting for someone else's life then your grip is painfully tight and the blade is weightless as your body."

She looked at me, the seriousness disappearing from her eyes. I don't believe what I had just said, it was a surprise, like I was in soul reaper form again.

"Well Ichigo, maybe you should become a soul reaper again, you were fighting to protect your family so why don't you pick up the sword again and fight for them?" She lightly smiled, "Everyone needs to be protected by someone." She messed with my hair before leaving the room.

She was right. That night when my mother died, I wanted to protect her and that girl but by accident, she protected me instead. Then for a long time I protected ghosts and souls from hollows, I just lost the will or whatever when I saw them die. We were suppose to protect each other and save Orihime.

She didn't appear for the rest of day so I stayed in my room only leaving once to get some lunch or dinner or whatever. Then when i returned she was reading some book at the desk.

"Hey, school starts back up Monday so are you planning to do anything tonight?" She asked, her eyes remaining on the book. Was she like asking me out?

I just shrugged, "I don't know."

"Wanna go to the movies with Hillary, Parker and me? The movie theater has this thing going on during halloween weekend and the tickets are half price."

"Sure"

* * *

**So let me think, I didn't say anything before I went through and edited this. And I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can. Nothing really more to it, read my other stories if you like how this is coming.**


	5. A Visiter and a Surprise

**I gave up on writing chapter 5 since it was just a filler so I wrote 6 instead. Sorry for taking so long, I forgot that I kind of needed to finish it. I think it happened when I wrote a layout and figured out what was gonna happen and everything. Yeah I know this chapter sucks and I took forever to get it out only for a 1000 word chapter but it will get better, trust me. **

**Plus this chapter has a big ol' spoiler for the rest of the story, so if you wanna just read from Ichigo's POV then skip this chapter. The next one should be out sooner.  
**

**Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I'm just writing a fan fic  
**

* * *

I woke up the next morning and like always she was awake already. I wasn't paying attention to the book she was reading but I figured it was just for a class anyways. It looked old, doesn't this school have enough money for new books? 

"Hey what class are you studying for this early?" I asked, the morning silence always bothered me.

"Hmmm? Oh its just something old I picked up from the library." She sounded bored with it.

"Whats it about?"

"The old Japanese military, mainly the Captains."

"Oh yeah? What does it say?" Maybe its more interesting then it sounds. I leaned over her shoulder in order to get a better look.

"Nothing of any interest to you" she said and punched me in the face when she spun the chair around.

"Shouldn't you get ready for class?"

"Yeah, yeah," I rubbed my chin, damn girl.

Another day of school, great.

* * *

Rose sat on top of a building in full soul reaper uniform as a pair of dog tags were around her neck with her red hair up in a short ponytail. Rangiku Matsumoto walked up to her from behind then hugged her. "Guess who?" 

"With your huge boobs, who else could it be Rangiku"

"Awwww you're no fun Trinity." She said, sighing as she sat down besides her.

"You can tell them that he'll have all his powers back by the deadline, I wouldn't expect any later actually." Rose handed her some glasses, knowing that she'd want a view of Ichigo.

"Hollows are going to show up then. Can you fight them?"

She narrowed her eyes at the other woman. "Yeah of course, I've been fighting all the ones that have shown up already." She sighed, "My sword has been getting tired of all the battles."

"When will he be fighting hollows?"

"As soon as he sees one, I plan for him to next Tuesday. If they continue to show up as they do."

"Ichigo hasn't realized it has he?"

"Nope, if he was able to read soul power then he would've figured it out." Rose remained calm, her tone quiet as she spoke.

"Hes been pretty down, its sad to see him like that."

"Basic depression. Heard you were tested for it after Gin went to the dark side and when Orihime was found dead with the others. Thought you may have ended up here too."

"Thats one of the things to being a soul reaper, death of a teammate."

Rose looked at her before looking away, "When you're serious like that, it explains why you're in the 10th squad."

Rangiku hugged her, "Then I won't be serious. Hows that?" She said excited.

Trinity lightly smiled "Brings back old memories."

"Yeah, you should sign up to become captain."

"3rd seat remember?" She waved three fingers at the other woman.

"But the second seat isn't even filled. I don't see why you won't sign up, Captain Trinity Rose!"

"Cause! Being a captain would be triple the amount of work!"

"Actually its more like ten times more work" Rangiku said as she thought about her own captain working.

"I thought you wanted me to?!"

"Yeah! You could handle the work! The battles, the whole thing!"

She sighed "Then maybe I will sign up."

Rangiku hugged her again, stopping Trinity from breathing "Yay!"

"Hey! Shouldn't you be working?!" She asked loudly, struggling to get free from.

Once free she looked out at the building nearby, seeing Ichigo, easily. She watched as he leaned back a bit then glanced out the window. "Down" she yelled, Rangiku just stood there confused till Trinity pushed her down.

"I didn't know you were that kind of girl..." Rangiku joked as she laid under Trinity.

Trinity's face reddened at the joke, trying to explain herself, "Ichigo might have seen us, stupid, and I told you to get down."

Rangiku said as she knocked Trinity over, straddling herself on her hips.

"By the way, I'm not sure if Ichigo will even battle hollows. Given the choice, he might turn it down thats why I can't give a real answer till I get him to defeat one."

She pulled her closer by her necklace. "Give him a sword and someone to protect, he'll use it."

"Really?"

"He got himself really beat up after a battle because he felt the need to protect everyone. He sometimes-" "Puts the weight of world on his shoulders? And blames himself for everything?"

"Yeah"

"No surprise from a guy like him."

"I wouldn't expect anything else from him"

They both looked back as a hollow screamed. "You wanna deal with it?"

"Come on" She pulled her up and started dragging her along. "Hey wait! I'm not suppose to leave the school grounds!"

"It'll be fun!"

"Its a waste of time! Hollows take like one swing of a sword to knock out!"

"Well I could always get Ichigo to come."

"No way! That would mess with his training! Then he'd get rid of his powers again!"

"Give that boy a sword and he'll use it!"

In the next split second the two used flash step to take themselves directly to the hollow. The hollow looked like any other one they had fought as Trinity jumped straight at it, "Trintiy!" Rangiku yelled worried for only a second before noticing the hollow had already been sliced at the mask.

"Stop worryin' Rangiku!" She said with a faint grin across her lips as she moved the large claymore back into the sheath on her back. "I didn't even see you draw your sword...How did you do that??" She asked, catching up to Trinity.

"I've completed Bankai, so I figured out how to use something like a flash sword."

"Gees, you're starting to scare me" Rangiku commented, surprised her friend had already figured out Bankai before her.

"So whats your Bankai like? Is it like Ichigo's or Captain Hitsugaya's?" She asked, interested.

"Haven't I told you before? It brings the dead back to life," Trinity answered, avoiding the question as she pulled her sword out again due to its smaller size and wiped off the blood with her kimono sleeve.

The two dashed back to the school, racing each other like they had done years earlier during their training days. Just as Trinity entered her gigai, she looked back at where her friend once stood, no one was there but she knew she was still there. "Hey, can you do me a favor and go back to Ichigo's hometown? Theres a lot of high level spiritual power still there so if you can, then see who's protecting it."

Rangiku hadn't thought of it before, she knew an officer of the 8th squad was there protecting the place and Trinity had to know that as well so was there something else to it? "Yeah, bye Trinity" she said then left quickly.

* * *

"Ichigo" maybe if I ignored her, she'd leave me alone...for once. 

"Ichigo" Rose poked me in the back again.

Or maybe not. "What?!"

She jumped, "nothing."

Then why had she said my name so many times? Annoying girls, can't let me finish my homework...


	6. Hollow screams

**I'm just trying to finish this now, sorry if its being ruined or anything. and there 'll be only a few more chapters after this one.  
**

* * *

It was getting colder, everyone was wearing heavier coats and the snow didn't look like it was gonna stop any time soon. All the PE classes were canceled and replaced with study hall. Winter break was only weeks and everyone seemed ready for it. 

"Ichigo"

"Ichigo"

"Ichi-" his words were cut off by me throwing the small stuffed animal across the room. "What do you want Kon?" I yelled at him, I liked my sleep and he wasn't helping my sleep so I wasn't going to hold back.

"Sweet Rose-san told me to wake your sorry ass up so you wouldn't miss breakfast" I groaned, changing my clothes then grabbing a coat before leaving.

I could hear the music playing again. That kid was playing the guitar again. I headed around the building to the short stairs that were hidden under a small shelter to stop the snow from falling on him. "Parker?"

He glanced back at me, "Morning Ichigo." He said calmly, his fingers were pale already meaning that he had been playing outside longer then he should have been.

"Why don't you play inside? Its a bit warmer."

"I like to play while the snow falls"

Still freezing cold outside. "Yeah?"

He stopped, looking me in the eye. Was it just me or did he remind me of Byakuya? Just what I needed, someone else who was like that jerk.

Next thing I knew, he was walking past me. "Hey where are you going?!"

"Getting some breakfast, coming?" He asked, I shoved my hands into my pockets and followed him "I guess."

I froze in spot, realizing it had really been a year since we had left for Hueco Mundo... Apparently, time is different there then here so when we were there for a few days, it had really been around 9 months. Tōshirō said that Hueco's time was faster while the Soul society's time was slower.

* * *

"Kon!" I yelled, busting into the room and grabbing Kon to pull the small pill out. I swallowed it, but instead of turning into soul reaper, my soul had a chain of fate attached to it. Damnit. 

"Stupid, don't you have any brains?" Rose said from the doorway. "You're not a soul reaper any more so its completely pointless for your soul to leave your body" how does she know about this? Was she reading more of my soul or was it something else?

"Rose" that was all I managed to say. I meant to say something like 'what the hell?!' or something! Damnit, I didn't have time for this! The hollow was getting closer! "Rose! I need to become a soul reaper! A hollow is coming and its gonna attack the school!"

"Yeah I know, all you gotta do is pick up that sword again. Remember what we were talking about the other night? That feeling of holding the sword? Well, just pick it up again and go get it." She said as if it was some sort of report in front of class or something so simple. Doesn't matter, if it'll work then all I gotta do is go after it. "This better work" I yelled, running out of the room.

The hollow wasn't far, the screams sounded like it was on the field or somewhere closer by now. Now all I had to do was focus again, and my sword would return to me. Come on, come on, just change, come to me Zangetsu. This last time, I need you to protect this school. I need you, this is it. Zangetsu!

With the blade in my hand, I ran after the hollow.

"Good job Ichigo, didn't think you'd be able to do that by yourself" standing next to a large sound system was Rose in some sort of soul reaper uniform.

"Rose"


	7. countdown begins

She folded her arms across her chest. We were on the back field as she stood on top of a loud sound system that had originally brought me there. The odd thing was that she was wearing a soul reaper uniform, her sword went across her back a red ribbon wrapped around the handle. "I'm sorry to do this to you Ichigo, but you're taking too long." She said, what the heck was she talking about? 

Her sword was drawn and blade was pointed at me. "Draw your blade, Ichigo. Or die" I wasn't going to fight her. I wouldn't. I couldn't. I came here to fight a hollow, not my friend!

"No, Rose, stop this! You're not a soul reaper, you're a normal person and you don't wanna get involved with this soul society crap!" Her blade was pointed straight at my eye. I didn't even see it coming.

"I died a long time ago, like Gin, like Aizen, like Rukia and Renji, like all soul reapers. I've been lying to you this whole time."

Then I got it. I realized what had been going on this whole time. She was suppose to bring back my powers..

"Why?! I'm not a -" she just slid her sword though my body, it wasn't bad, it was an attack I was used to. Just she hadn't removed her sword.

She faintly smiled, "If you don't attack me at some point then I suppose I'll just have to kill you. Wonder if I can still become a captain then."

"You don't wanna get involved with the soul society! You might as well quit now!"

She pushed the sword in more. "Don't you listen to anything?!" She sighed, pulling her sword out. My blood dropped to the ground, I could feel it running down my shirt.

"I am 3rd seat and currently the highest ranking person in the 5th squad. Trinity Rose." She rested the blade on her shoulder, she wasn't lying. The wind blow by, and suddenly, for that moment, she looked cool with the sun in the background and the snow on the ground. It was like when I saw Rukia freeze Grimmjow back then. It was something I wouldn't forget, that cold serious look in her eyes and the pain that was hidden behind them.

I had wasted my time and gotten myself in the same, life threating trouble I had been in the past years.  
What the hell was I doing?

* * *

Hey! SO I realize that like only like five people total are reading this and I'm trying to finish it before the end of the month but I go to school now along with a driving test on monday (then I'm getting glasses later today). But I guess all my excuses don't matter since I'm grounded this weekend! Good for you, bad for me.

This story will be complete in, countdown: 3 days. BEWARE

lol


	8. Stabbed

**When I own Bleach, you'll know  
**

* * *

"Hes running" Hilary said as she leaned against the window to watch the battle that was going to begin.

"I got site on him"

* * *

What was I running from?

"Come" she said as if I was a dog. Her voice seemed so much colder now then it had been. Like there was something else to it. Why had she picked me? Why did I feel like I had to protect the school, these were just people, there was a soul reaper here.

I don't know what told me to but I had to get out of there, so I turned and ran. "I'm not going to fight" I yelled, running as fast as I could away from her.

She quickly appeared in front of me and I slid to a stop. "You don't have a choice Ichigo. Unless you just want me to kill you then I will. And Rukia's dying words will be for nothing, since you'll die without any friends or living a life any longer then I had." Everything she had told me, everything that had happened here, it didn't matter anymore. It had just been a lie.What she had told me about her life and her family was just a lie. She shouldn't expect anything from me at this point.

"Why do you want me to-" She kicked me in the face, sending me into a wall. Damnit... "Why did you kick me!" I yelled, this was seriously pissing me off.

"Its my job stupid!" It had just been her job this whole time. To restore my powers and nothing more, just her job. All this time.

"Don't you understand? Anything?! Its my job! And you need your goddamn powers back before-" She cut herself off. What was she about to say? That Aizen was still alive? That someone else was trying to do what he did?

"What? Why do I need my powers back?"

"If you wanna know then you'll just have to beat me." She jumped back and I followed, I wasn't gonna be used.

I stopped in the center, where did she go?

She poked me in the back with her sword. "Lets play a game! If I cut you then you have to answer a question and if you cut me then I'll answer a question."

"Sounds fair." I replied, not caring since there was no way she would cut me.

She went to cut me in the back but I moved at the last second. She cut me. That was all she was going to do. I had seen her in gym, she wasn't all that physically strong. "Why did you rescue Rukia?"

"Because it had been my fault. I owed her that much." I answered, gripping my sword. I didn't want to use it. But I had to.

"Onto the next question?" She asked, appearing beside me and lightly slash me on the cheek. Damn. Maybe she'd get me a few times, after all.

"Before Rukia passed her power to you, what happened?"

Why does she keep asking about Rukia?!

"She saved my life and my family, by risking her own life.After that she was too hurt to continue fighting."

My grip tightened on the sword, I just couldn't pull it out.

"Question number-" I cut her off using my sword's sheath to block her attack. "You haven't cut me yet" I said with a thin smirk across my lips.

She jumped back, I jumped back as well. "Level 2, think you can handle it?"

Her blade changed to a large claymore, shit, I didn't know how to change mine.

"Ask me that once you cut me" I wasn't going to give her that chance.

"Hmmmm" She ran past me, her blade not appearing to move once. "I said, question number 3" blood ran down my arm.

"You said that your favorite part of a girl is their eyes, so whats the difference between Rukia's and Orihime's eyes?"

Of all the questions. "How the hell should I know!"

"Well, you're their friends so you must have seen their eyes before."

I glared, "Rukia's eyes are usually much harder and colder. Orihimes are usually the opposite and warm. But while Orihime's eyes hide her pain, Rukia's always show her pain. Thats the main difference since both of them can be the same at times."

I felt the pain again in my chest, the pain that I felt when I had been stabbed but when I looked, there was no sword.

She stood in front of me, her sword relaxed on her shoulder. She was giving me an opening, I didn't care if it was only a trap.

"Ichigo, my full body is at rest right now. If you attack me then you'll definitely cut me. Then I'll answer a question. And I know you have a question."

My sword hadn't come out once, but it would this time.

It wasn't that I didn't care it was that she was my friend. I just scratched her anyways. She used a move like Ken did, using her soul powers to protect herself. Then she attacked me, cutting me clear across the chest.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Cause, everyone needs you. What you've done has saved many lives even if they weren't the lives of your friends. The people you saved had friends and family so their lives had the same meanings as your friends' lives. Thats why I'm doing this, so you'll gain your will to fight."

I forgot, if I get stronger then I'll be able to protect souls from hollows, but is it worth it? Am I that important?

She came at me, I could see her and stopped her before her sword went though. Quickly I swung my sword at her but she moved forward and blocked it. She cut me down the arm.

"Tell me Ichigo, who do I remind you of? Which of the people who've battled in the past?" She asked while fighting me.

Our swords were clashing and she didn't even show any signs of having trouble.

"Aizen"

"Can I ask why?"

Her blade pressed against mine as we stood within inches of each other.

"That expression on your face, like you're enjoying this, it was on Aizen's the whole time I was fighting him. Whenever I saw his face it was there. Then your style of fighting is similar to his where I can't see your sword when you attack."

"I worked under Aizen, he was my captain. A truly amazing captain until he pulled that ass of a move. He trained me personally, thats my guess as to why I'm so much like him."

Her blade pierced though mine and stabbed me. I thought she was just planning on keeping me alive. So why did she attack me...

She lightly kicked me in the face. "Remember when the captain of squad 11 did that to you, and your sword was cut in half? You were able to get the hell up and fight, so do it again."

Again, hmmm? How was it again? How had I done it?

Oh yeah

"Question number 2, is something about to happen? Is there another reason why the soul society needs me to have my powers back?"

Her blood dripped down to the grass.

"You know, you wouldn't make a bad captain." She covered the wound with her arm, I didn't mean to make it so deep... "I told you, everyone needs to be protected and with you in the soul society, we'd be protected as would the humans on earth."

I cut her again. Her sword was still in her hand. "So you just want me so I can become a captain?!?"

"Dammit Ichigo! Don't you realize what the hell's going on?" She looked at me, "The soul society cannot stand up right now, even with Aizen and the other gone. The soul society could use people like you at top. You'd be a great leader even if you were only doing it half the time. Heck, you are a great leader and people know that, thats why you should become a captain. But I'm doing this because of what you've done and what you can do."

I wasn't sure what to think, she wanted me to become a captain because I'm a great leader who got my friends killed.

I went to cut her again, and she blocked my attack, our swords are pretty even. Guess she was holding out on me.

Her blade quickly cut me, "Do you even understand a single word I'm saying?!"

"Yeah!" I went to attack and she blocked, dang.

"No, otherwise you would've hit me."

She was really starting to make me mad. Whenever I attacked, even with the openings, she was blocking them all or...or she's been giving me those openings, she wants me to attack, she wanted to trap me.

So if I attack where the opening isn't then I should hit her.

Block, I couldn't try it now, her blade is too long for me to hit directly. There! Her left side was covered and the opening was only her other shoulder but if I tried for her right side and shoulder then it should work.

"Ha, thats a nice one. You've figured it out. Level 3 then?"

She jumped back holding her sword with both hands. "Bankai" I could see it, her body was growing with soul power. It was about to really become something else. She was really going to the next level and would kill me if I didn't. Then again, if I did then my power would continue to grow and I'd get to be at the same level as I was.

"Speak to us, Aimi," she kissed the blade before ripping it in two and tossing one piece behind me as the other stayed in her hand, forming into a dagger.

She smirked, "You should be happy, you're the only one who's seen my bankai. And that may not even make a difference" she appeared behind me with the dagger to my neck. "If you die." What the heck? I thought she was good! Why does she wanna kill me all of a sudden? I gotta get out of here! I can't die!

Her hand moved and lightly cut below my neck before she appeared in front of me. "What are we at five?" I started running away. I'm not even suppose to fight! I swore that I'd never change into a soul reaper again, that I'd never hold a sword again! So what am I doing? Why am I holding this sword?! I stopped, Rukia told me to live a long life and if I have to, then I'll fight and hold this sword for that reason.

She was following me so if I try to find her power then I can locate it and ultimately trace it.

There! "Bankai! Getsuga Tensho!" She was right there, I hope that didn't kill her.

She had her arms out in front of her in an "x" as she stood a meter away, barely still standing. Damn...

"Ichigo, you still owe me answer. "Why are you fighting? Is there something you wish to gain from this? Or do you just not want to die?"

"I can't die, so I guess I am only fighting for my life. Then again, I have to become stronger!"

She was weak, she wouldn't be able to go any further at this rate.

"Why did you become a soul reaper?"

She smiled, quickly running up to stand in front of me. "I had a naturally large amount of soul power and my brother was a captain at the time."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah, hes not a captain anymore. He was killed a while back and Gin took his place as captain."

Behind me! A sword was swung at me, leaving a good gash in my shoulder. The person had been someone I didn't know someone completely different. His red hair was just like Rose's while his blue eyes were the only difference between them. He had a expressionless look across his face.

"Ichigo, meet Darien, my brother" no way. Was this her Bankai? Where did he come from?

I fell to the ground, I hadn't expected that.

* * *

**Countdown: Tomorrow. one more chapter.**


	9. End

**Thanks to Sin of Otaku, cola1012003, _hugs_ hollowheart3, hollow Ichigo 100, S-Wanderer999, and Karenkate-kitty!**

* * *

"Hes not dead, I didn't stab him that hard. I think its just his body reacting to the power " Darien said as he checked my pulse. My body was in so much pain, I couldn't move. I couldn't hear what they were talking about very well but they were talking about something. 

Rose sat not very far away as her head was down and she seemed to be in similar pain as she was still in bankai form. "Is he really your brother?"

She gave me a surprised look before answering. "Only a part, his bankai, power and will are there with some of his memories."

She stood up and walked towards me before sitting beside her brother next to me. "How long will he be with you?"

"Till she sheaths her sword and stops bankai." He explained seeming to relax.

"If you plan to keep your powers then I'll take you back to the soul society and they can heal you much faster. But if you don't want them then I'll see what I can do." She offered.

Shes not really giving me much of a choice. "You hated the soul society for what they did so why don't you become a part of it and fix it?"

"Because, I'm alive, how am I suppose to fix it?"

"He can't be in two places at once, and he can't just go between the two all the time. Let him have some fun, the soul society will give him a call when they need him." I like her brother more then her at the moment.

She sighed, "Then lets get him to Dr. Storm, she'll heal him."

"And you,"

"I'm fine!" She yelled at him as he picked her up then me before speeding towards the headmaster's office...

* * *

"Ichigo?" 

"Ichigo, wake up" Hilary said, slowly fanning me with her hand. "Hilary?"

"Yay! You're alive!" She screamed hugging me.

My wounds were all healed. "Yeah, yeah, you can stop hugging me now" she didn't let go.

"I need to breath!" I yelled and she finally let go. We were inside the headmaster's office, but the old woman couldn't be spotted anywhere around. The only one that I could see was Hilary.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Ichigo" Hilary said with a small smile.

"Wheres Rose?"

"Shes out. She does have a job after all" She explained.

I stood up and looked at her, I was in my body again. They must have returned my soul when I was out.

"So you're in on this too?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah but I'm only in this because I looked like Miss Kuchiki, otherwise I would be on a mission or something."

"Miss Kuchiki? Don't you mean Ms?"

"No, Miss Kuchiki was the 6th captain's wife. Hisana. I didn't really know Rukia, but I did know Hisana pretty well. My family isn't as wealthy as the Kuchikis but our families are close because and thats why I knew her. It was those long annoying family dinners."

"Then shouldn't you have met Rukia?"

"My father and Rukia's brother got in an argument and the two families split. We did met once before, but she was really quiet, like Hisana had been at the dinners. It was out of respect that they were quiet, it was annoying to me since the dinners were so that the two families could form a bond."

"Oh, so you didn't really know her."

"No, sorry." She stood up, her smile returning. "Well, anyways, you should go back home." What?

"Why? I came here-" "The soul society will come and if you want to deal with them then stay, otherwise you better go."

I looked at her, she seemed expressionless. It was weird. "Yeah I guess so."

"Do you understand? You should just leave"

* * *

Hey, Alex here and yeah this is the depressingly last chapter. I know the ending sucked and thats why theres gonna be more... just not more story...if that makes sense. But don't remove this from alert cause I'll be adding some Kon radio chapters, a pre-chapter and a epilogue or two. Once I post those then I plan to work on some chapters or finish ones that I didn't feel like were complete. In probably a few months I'll delete this and repost it under my other account, but I'll put up a warning when I do. Anyways, I have some homework to do, and a test to study for, bye. ps I got an interview tomorrow for a job at six flags! Doesn't that sound cool?! 

Well, if you want to know anything about the characters or anything. just leave a review or pm me. Otherwise, bye!


	10. ALERT Read and Smile

Rose:"So I heard that the author wants to bring this story back"

Hilary: "Really?!"

Ichigo: "Yeah, this time she has gone completely bananas"

Darien: "I don't believe that stupid author is planning to-" author covers mouth

Author: "Thats the last time I tell you anything!"

Darien: "But I was just gonna tell them and save them a month of waiting for you to update!"

elbowed by the author

Hilary: "It wouldn't be any fun if you just blabbed it out."

Rose: "And then everyone would just read this little note thingy"

Ichigo: "Whats she planning anyways?"

Darien: "Just stay away from my sister and you'll never figure it out."

Ichigo: "Well she did kind of get me mad, I don't think I'll be talking to her for a while"

Rose: "Thats good, there are better guys for me."

Hilary: "So whats the secret anyways?"

Kon: "I'm going to be in twice as much."

Author: "Nope. I think I'll just ship you off to France."

Kon has a nosebleed

Darien: "That perv, send him to Germany or Russia."

Kon: "NO!!!!! Please! anywhere but there! Its cold and the girls are all covered up! Please!"

Author: "What about Canada? Or Alaska? I just saw 30 days of night and all you gotta worry about there is the vampires."

Hilary: "Awwww, you can't just send him away...How about I take care of him till I see Ichigo?"

Darien with the script : "Apparently you won't see him for a few chapters and when you do, he and her are like totally-" Author covers mouth

Author: "I think thats all, the next chapter should be out by next Saturday or before any other update."

Ichigo: "You forgot to tell them..."

Author: "Oh yeah! I'm looking for someone to beta a few of my stories, (this one, Chicken Pox and Uncle Byakuya. Then on my other account... June 17, Scars and if there are any that i find and post) All that I ask for is that the betar has aim or msn."

Kon: "Bye!"


	11. Stage 2: Living

I'm still looking for a betar for a few stories or different peps for different stories. This one, Chicken Pox and Uncle Byakuya. June 17, Scars, White Rose, Black hair, Amber eyes, Kaien! All that I ask for is that the betar has yahoo, msn, or aim. If you want to read any of those stories then you should cause I work hard on them. Anyways, message me or something if you're interested, heres the first chapter of the next stage.

I think I made Ichigo kind of a bad guy in here...

* * *

"I'm home" I yelled as I walked into my home.

"ICHIGO!!!!" My dad yelled racing to hug me. I just kicked him away.

"Try again old man."

And thats how the first five minutes of being home was like. It wasn't all that exciting. I was pretty glad to see my sisters and my dad, mainly to see that they were still alive and stuff. My dad hadn't changed and neither had my sisters. Yuzu had a huge meal that night, even though I had told her about ten times that she didn't need to.

I didn't go to school for a week and then everything seemed to become normal. I had the same teacher, the same classmates, nothing had really changed. Like it all returned to how it had been way before I had met Rukia. When everything was so basic, so normal, Orihime and I didn't talk to each other, Ishida didn't stand out, Chad was quiet, and Rukia and Renji were just soul reapers that I never saw. Most of the time, I don't notice the change unless I actually think about it. Like how Rukia actually did sit next to me...or how we all formed a group.

* * *

"I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh. I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away. I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well. I wanna hold you high and steal your pain"

"Ms. Rose?" Momo asked for the red head quietly, still standing a few feet from the woman.

She pulled down the head phones and looked at Momo for a moment before speaking. "You can just call me Trinity, we're like the same age," She said with a faint smile. She didn't stand out other then her eyes and hair, since she wore a normal soul reaper uniform, no one had been placed as the captains or vice captains so she was still the third seat as Momo wasn't placed in a seat yet, just an average, run of the mill, soul reaper.

She just nodded, a few papers that were in her hand fell to the ground when she did and Trinity helped her pick up the papers. They were in a hidden area where the 5th squad would often train, but today it had become more of a laid back, relax area for them and so several of the members were outside. "There are some papers for you to fill out, and someone is in your office to see you." Momo said and watched her future captain sigh.

"Thanks" she said as the last paper was placed in her arms.

Trinity looked at the girl and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "Why don't you take a break? I can fill out those papers for you."

"Well, most of them are papers about my return...Captain Unohana wanted me to answer these." Trinity picked the papers out of her arms, "Yes and I believe she said something about not worrying bout it too much since they could be finished in your free time." She smirked, noticing that she was only a few inches taller then the girl herself.

"Well, if I could finish them early then that'd be one less thing that I have to do."

Trinity shifted the papers to one arm and placed the other on Momo's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, I can handle the paper work and everything. You should go take a break."

"I just got back! I can't just slack off!" Momo said, determined to work.

"Then how about you do me a favor and tell Matsumoto that I need to speak to her tonight. You can take your time getting back as well."

Momo nodded, taking the chance to go and visit Toshi.

Trinity smiled at the girl as she ran off towards the exit. "Wasn't there something I was suppose to do?" She thought as she headed back to her office with the pile of papers.

"Rose!" A young, large man yelled from the doorway of the of the 5th squad building.

She looked at him, then in a split second she was standing in front of him. "Yeah?"

Rose was frozen for a moment in her office doorway where she could see the 13th captain relaxed in his seat. She quickly bowed, "Good afternoon captain Ukitake."

He nodded his head, giving a very light bow. "Same to you future captain Rose." The smile on his face was warm and kind, it wouldn't be easy for her to be formal with him.

"So why did you come here?"

"The other day, Yoruichi came by. I talked to her for a bit and she found out about the captain "entrance exams" are next week. She knows Ichigo's father."

Rose raised an eye brow as if she was Byakuya. "And?"

"And, she thinks that Ichigo should know about it. I thought about it and agreed to it, if he wants to go then he can."

She frowned, "I disagree. He's unpredictable, dangerous, stubborn,-" "One of the most powerful and caring guys that are still around." Every time she looked at his eyes, she was unable to hold a serious face.

He softened again, "Why is that you don't believe that he should be here? Is it because he's not really a soul reaper? Because he has his own style? Or is it because he turned down the chance to be a captain and that's something you can't do?"

She just stared at him for a moment then opened her mouth to speak before closing it about. "Hes a human, he doesn't belong here. Thats it. But if you think differently then invite him along for all I care."

"Okay then" He replied, getting up to leave but pausing in the doorway to see her leaning back in the chair. "Don't say you don't care because I know you really do."

* * *

"You met a Rose at the school, didn't you?" That was the first question he asked me at dinner that night.

My question was How did he know about that? Was it that guy at the school? Or had Kisuke told him.

I raised an eye brow and looked at him; "Yeah. Trinity Rose."

"I decided a long time ago to allow you to do what you want, to be friends with whoever you wanted but I should warn you that she's not-" "Shes a soul reaper. She's going to be the captain of the 5th squad and she also forced my powers back." I looked at him, he understood even if I wasn't fully explaining everything. It was weird how he was so serious, he always seemed so happy and playful even after mom's death, but now he totally understood everything.

"A friend of mine in the soul society told me that next weekend shes gonna be placed as the captain of the 5th squad. He said me that he'll open the gate if you're interested." That was code for: 'I talked to Kisake and he'll open the gate for you to go.'

Going to the soul society isn't exactly at the top my list of things to do.

"I don't think I will."

"Its a pretty big thing, there are battles, fights, usually its like a big party and since two others are going to be ranked captains as well, then they're going to place the vice captains..."

I shrugged it off, still not interested in going.

"You should go anyways, bring Tatsuki with you. She's never been there and she could use a little vacation."

Tatsuki...I wonder what shes been up to... Its been a while since we've talked or anything.

She was on my mind for the rest of the day, then the next morning, I walked into the classroom and she was the first one that I noticed.

"Good morning Ichigo!" Orhime, the orange haired girl beside Tatsuki yelled and waved her arm with a big smile across her face.

I stopped a few feet from her and faintly smiled at her. "Mornin', Orhime, Tatsuki."

I shook my head, trying to forget about the memory.

"Theres a few new students, and one of them is a total hottie!" One of the girls went on about.

"The blue haired guy is crazy, but hes so cool!" Another said.

Tatsuki didn't say anything, her smile was gone. Every once in a while, she'd smile one of those old fake smiles but that was it.

"ICHIGO!" Keigo yelled as he jumped on me. I flipped him over my shoulders and hard onto the floor. Then I just left him on the floor as I took my sit. The desk next to me would be filled today due to the new kid.

"Hey Ichigo, what are you doing Saturday night?" Mizuiro asked me. Saturday night...he probably wants me to go on a date with him and those girls of his.

"Come on Ichigo, she doesn't go on dates without another couple there!" Mizuiro begged. It didn't happen much, but when Mizuiro begged, you could see why he was able to get so many dates.

"I could hook you up with a girl if you can't get one. Please?" Puppy dog eyes.

I sighed. "Fine."

"Ichigo is going on a date? A double date?" Keigo asked, making it sound like I had never been on a date or anything involving a member of the opposite sex.

"Yeah" I leaned back in my chair, as Keigo went on about the unbelievable idea. I watched Tatsuki from the corner of my eye, she was still barely talking to those other girls. I could hear that they were talking about boys and that new student.

"Can you even get a date?" Keigo asked.

"Yeah I can get my own date." I mumbled, not all that interested in talking to them about dating of all things.

"Good. Good."

Keigo leaned against my cheek to see who I was looking at, his eyes quickly caught Tataski. "TATASKI!" He yelled. I covered his mouth.

Then her eyes met mine, I could feel a light blush coming to my face as there was one on her face already. The classroom went silent.

"Okay students! Take your seats!" The teacher yelled before I let go of Kiego and the two walked away as everyone began to take their seats.

"As you all know, theres gonna be a new student starting today." Everyone's attention turned towards the sliding doors as a kid our age entered the room. The way he look like Grimmjow was uncanny. There wasn't any difference other then his black hair and the missing hollow jaw. A bunch of the girls were looking at him like they were already in love. He seemed like the classic bad boy to them, I guess. The weird part was that Tataski was looking at him like that...Like she liked him..there was that look in her eyes, the one that Rukia always gave me.

Why was she looking at him like that? It was burning me on the inside. She shouldn't have been looking at a guy-who would've killed Orihime-who used her!- Who never called her by her name! She shouldn't be looking at him like that.

When I looked at him, his blue eyes were looking back at her, straight into her eyes. Why the hell is he looking at her?! I hope he isn't thinking of doing something. He better not. Hell! He shouldn't even be alive!

The next thing I knew; "Then you can take a seat next to Mr. Kurosaki." She said as she pointed to me. Grimmjow looked at me like he knew who I was and with a short grin, he took his seat next to me.  
"Hey, Ichigo." He said with that grin.

I wouldn't be tricked for a second time and grinned. "Hey Grimmjow."

He gave me a surprised look, just staring at me till the teacher called his name, telling him to just take notes.


End file.
